These materials are intended to provide an overview of certain IBM plans and programs in which you may be eligible to participate. These materials are not an official Summary Plan Description and do not provide full details. The formal plan documents are the complete and exclusive statement of the company’s obligations under the Plan. The official Plan documents shall govern in the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan documents and information contained in these or any other documents and statements. The Plan Administrator retains exclusive authority and discretion to interpret the terms of the IBM benefit plans and programs described herein.
Legal plans are administered by MetLife Legal Plans, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. In California, this entity operates under the name MetLife Legal Insurance Services. In certain states, legal plans are provided through insurance coverage underwritten by Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Warwick, RI. Some services not available in all states. No service, including consultations, will be provided for: 1) employment-related matters, including company or statutory benefits; 2) involving any sponsoring or offering company, MetLife, or its affiliates and plan attorneys as an adverse party; 3) matters in which there is a conflict of interest between the policyholder and spouse or dependents in which case services are excluded for the spouse and dependents; 4) appeals and class actions; 5) farm and business matters, including rental issues when the participant is the landlord; 6) patent, trademark and copyright matters; 7) costs and fines; 8) frivolous or unethical matters; 9) matters for which an attorney client relationship exists prior to the participant becoming eligible for plan benefits. For individuals covered under a New York insurance policy defense of criminal matters is excluded and parents must be related by blood, marriage, adoption, dependency, or operation of law and reside in the same household as the insured to utilize the Plus Parents benefit. For all other personal legal matters, an advice and consultation benefit is provided. Additional representation is also included for certain matters. Please see your plan description for details.
Life insurance benefits available under the IBM Group Life Insurance Plan are provided under MetLife group life insurance policies which, like most group insurance policies, contain certain exclusions, limitations and requirements for maintaining coverage in force. Any such exclusions, limitations and requirements will be described in the insurance certificate and/or the IBM Group Life Insurance Plan formal plan documents.
METLIFE'S ACCIDENT (AX), HOSPITAL INDEMNITY (HI) AND CRITICAL ILLNESS (CII) INSURANCE POLICIES ARE LIMITED BENEFIT GROUP INSURANCE POLICIES. The policies are not intended to be a substitute for medical coverage providing benefits for medical treatment, including hospital, surgical, and medical expenses, and do not provide reimbursement for such expenses. Certain states may require the insured to have medical coverage to enroll in these policies. Like most group accident and health insurance policies, MetLife's AX, HI and CII policies contain certain exclusions, limitations and terms for keeping them in force. Product features and availability may vary by state. The policies may be subject to a Benefit Reduction Due to Age provision. For HI and AX, prior hospital confinement may be required to receive certain benefits, and there may be a pre-existing condition exclusion for hospital sickness benefits, if applicable. Hospital does not include certain facilities such as nursing homes, convalescent care or extended care facilities. For CII, there may be a pre-existing condition exclusion, and a Benefit Suspension Period between recurrences of the same Covered Condition or occurrences of different Covered Conditions. MetLife offers CII on both an Attained Age basis, where rates will increase when a Covered Person reaches a new age band, and an Issue Age basis, where rates will not increase due to age. Rates are subject to change. MetLife reserves the right to raise premium rates for Issue Age CII on a class-wide basis. A more detailed description of the benefits, limitations, and exclusions applicable to MetLife’s AX, HI and CII products can be found in the applicable Disclosure Statements or Outlines of Coverage/Disclosure Documents available at time of enrollment. For complete details of coverage and availability: for AX and HI, please refer to the group policy form GPNP12-AX, GPNP13-HI, GPNP16-HI or GPNP12-AX-PASG; and for CII, please refer to the group policy form GPNP07-CI, GPNP09-CI, GPNP10-CI, GPNP14- CI, GPNP19-CI, or contact MetLife for more information. Benefits are underwritten by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, New York.
1 All applications for coverage are subject to review and approval by MetLife. If you choose to apply for increased coverage, the increase may be subject to underwriting. MetLife will review your information and evaluate your request for coverage based upon your answers to the health questions, MetLife’s underwriting rules and other information you authorize us to review. In certain cases, MetLife may request additional information to evaluate your request for coverage. Coverage will be effective in accordance with the applicable policy and certificate after approval by MetLife. Only applicants who reside in a US state, the District of Columbia, or Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or US Virgin Islands are allowed to complete their SOH form online (where available). Otherwise, applicants will be provided with a paper SOH form. Individuals residing outside of the US or in certain US territories must be on US payroll and be approved by MetLife before being provided with an SOH form.7 This enrollment opportunity only applies to employees who are not considered Retiree Supplemental employees. Retiree Supplemental employees, and their spouse/domestic partner, will need to complete a medical review for all amounts of life insurance they enroll for.
